Breaking into the Chelsea FC first team is very difficult, especially when the squad is fully fit, as they are right now. It’s a giant club that splashed the cash this summer, especially so in attack, but in midseason they replaced manager with a new man who plays with a bit more of a defensive mindset.
Thomas Tuchel and his wing back employing system are just not suited for some of his current players. Christian Pulisic, the team’s best player during Project Restart and the most expensive American ever, has only one start under Tuchel and that was in the FA Cup.
Pulisic has to yet to start a single Premier League game under Tuchel, and even the manager himself admits that this fact is “unfair.” (If only he knew somebody that could do something about it?) Tuchel’s excuses for benching Pulisic have evolved since he took over the southwest London club.
After the last game, Monday night’s win over Everton, Tuchel made it clear that Pulisic is only a bench player in his eyes. Can’t really ask for a clearer signal than this when deciding, with apologies to The Clash “should I stay or should I go now?”
Tuchel did say last month that he wants to keep Pulisic around, but a footballer, especially of this caliber, needs first team minutes, and the Pennsylvanian Messi could certainly find numerous big clubs willing to offer him that.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United are said to be keen on the 22-year-old. Each destination is intriguing in its own distinct way. United is Pulisic’s favorite club as a boy and they were said to be interested when Pulisic was at Borussia Dortmund. Ditto for Liverpool, as that would bring a reunion with Jurgen Klopp from their BVB days.
The Reds attack, this season, isn’t as vaunted as it used to be, so there could be an opportunity for Pulisic there. United have some weakness on the wings, so that might work too.
As for Bayern, well, a return to Germany isn’t the worst idea for Pulisic, which segues nicely to our other transfer news item.
Tuchel’s countryman, Timo Werner, could join Pulisic in making his tenure at Chelsea super short. He thrived at RB Leipzig, but he just can’t adjust very well to the English game, at least not thus far.
Football Insider claims the man who moved just past this summer from the Bundesliga, for €45 million, could be returning to the German top flight. He has only five goals in 27 Premier League appearances this season.
He had 34 across all competitions last season.
It is strange that both he and his fellow German, Kai Havertz, have been misfiring so much this season, after being so dominant in Deutchsland last season.
Could shape up to be a very interesting summer transfer window, again, in the Chelsea final third.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.